Information storage and retrieval device

ABSTRACT

A method of providing directed search for a web site address identified via a media channel and a method for creating a database for such directed search are disclosed. A database is created by providing each information provider a plurality of identifier categories, and allowing each information provider to store on the database at least one identifier per applicable category that is associated with the identification of the web site address. A user may search the database and only retrieves a search response by inputting at least one of the identifiers already stored on the database.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/746,260filed on Dec. 22, 2000 now U.S Pat. No. 6,823,332 and claims the benefitof both U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/171,620 filed on Dec. 23,1999, and U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/181,047 filed on Feb. 8,2000.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to Internet search methods and,more particularly, to methods of providing directed Internet search forweb sites identified via a media channel.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

More than 1.5 million new pages of information are created every day onthe Internet, and this figure is still growing. (The Chicago Tribune,Feb. 4, 1999). In essence, Internet users are faced with trying toaccess an information network that is conservatively 1000 times largerthan the largest conventional library. To sort through this informationmorass, an efficient search engine is indispensable.

Traditional Internet search engines, such as AltaVista™, perform asearch by using key words as search parameters. For example, a usermight use “airline” and “tickets” as key words to search for web sitesthat sell airline tickets online. In addition, a new breed of searchengines was developed recently. Exemplified by Ask Jeeves™, these newsearch engines allow users to perform a search by asking a question. Forexample, a user might type in “How do I find cheap airline tickets?” tosearch for web sites that sell discounted airline tickets. The newsearch engines are reportedly more popular than the traditional onesbecause their search format is more natural and easier to use for theaverage user. When a New Yorker Magazine journalist asked Ask Jeeves™how tall he is and the result was a reference to altitude rather thanhis height, however, it is clear that even the best current searchpathway is neither efficient nor sufficient.

The main problem with most of today's search engines is that they returnfar too much irrelevant information. At least three factors contributeto this inefficiency. First, vague or improperly worded searches oftenreturn unwanted results. In addition, many web sites pay the searchengines for the privilege of being listed first in a search.Consequently, the first five to ten search results are often lessrelevant than some of the other web sites listed. Finally, Internetsearch engines categorize web sites according to the content of the websites' meta-tags; but many web sites do not use meta-tags. A meta-tag isa hypertext markup language (HTML) text coding hidden from normal viewand located within a specifically designated portion of the HTML codethat generates the web page. This special HTML text coding is used todesignate key words that are communicated to search engines, allowingthe search engines to determine the relevancy of the respective web sitein response to a particular search query. Thus, web sites withoutmeta-tags or with poorly designed meta-tags are often deemed irrelevantby a search engine.

Many web site owners advertise their web site addresses in the media toattempt to reach potential customers. For example, such advertisementmay be announced over the radio or appear on a billboard. Because of theinefficiency of the current Internet search engines, however, if apotential customer hears or sees the advertisement, but is not in aposition to accurately write down the web site address, the likelihoodof the customer finding the web site advertised is minimal. Frequently,the advertised web address is a phonetic domain name which often makesthe URL quite difficult to spell. As a result, the interest captured bythe advertisement is often wasted when the potential customer cannotfind the advertiser's web page. Therefore, there is a need for adirected search that would allow a potential customer to search for adesired web site advertiser without relying on proper search terms, keywords or the existence and relevancy of the web site's meta-tags.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to methods of providing directed Internetsearch for web sites identified via media channels, which include radio,television, airline video broadcasts, billboards, and printedpublications.

In accordance with the present invention, a preferred method ofproviding directed search for a web site address identified via a mediachannel comprises creating a database containing one or more web siteidentifiers associated with the identification of the web site address;permitting a user to search the database by inputting at least one ofthe web site identifiers; and providing to the user a search responseincluding one or more web site addresses identified via the mediachannel.

In another preferred embodiment, a method for creating a directed searchdatabase of web sites identified via a media channel is disclosed. Themethod comprises providing each of a plurality of information providersaccess to a secured portion of the database; providing each informationprovider a plurality of identifier categories; allowing each informationprovider to store in the secured portion of the database a plurality ofidentifiers associated with a web site identified via a media channel,wherein each identifier corresponds to an identifier category; andcreating a search query with the plurality of identifier categories,wherein a user searches the database by inputting at least oneidentifier in the search query, and a search result including a web siteassociated with the input identifier is provided when the search queryis executed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a flowchart illustrating the general schematic of a preferredembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a screen display illustrating an example of the preferreddirected-search format of a search query in accordance with a preferredembodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 illustrates the general schematic of a preferred embodiment ofthe present invention in the form of a flowchart. At block 10, a website address is identified via a media channel, such as radio,television, airline video broadcast, a billboard, a printed publication,a sporting event, or a news event. The web site address may beidentified in a commercial, an advertisement, a commentary, a product orservice evaluation, an interview or any other forms of mediainformation. At block 20, a user is exposed to the media channel andbecomes aware of the web site address identified via the media channel.As block 30 shows, however, the user is unable to recall the web siteaddress at a later time. This is often caused by the fact that the useris generally not in a position to accurately write down the web siteaddress when it is identified via the media channel. For example, theuser may be driving, without a writing instrument and paper, orotherwise distracted when the web site address is broadcast over theradio, the television, or advertised on a billboard. Additionally, thespelling of the web site name or address is often clever but notnecessarily intuitive to the writer. However, the user is likely toremember where he or she saw or heard the information or the nature ofthe event that he or she was watching or listening at the time.Therefore, as block 40 indicates, a database is created for these usersto search for web site addresses identified via media channels,utilizing what the users can recall to search for web site addressesthat they do not remember.

The database is created by soliciting the advertisers and media channeloperators for web site addresses identified via the media channel andfor information associated with the media identification of the web siteaddresses. In other words, both the web site addresses and theircorresponding “identifiers” are collected and compiled into thedatabase. For example, if a web site address were broadcast over theradio, a list of identifiers would be solicited from the radio station,the web site owner or, if the broadcast were an advertisement, theadvertising agency. Preferably, the identifiers include the location orcity where the listener was located, the subject matter that caught theinterest of the listener (e.g., pistachio nuts), the time of day the website address was broadcast, the date on which the web site address wasbroadcast, the identifying call-letters for the station on which the website address was broadcast, the frequency of the radio station on whichthe web site address was broadcast, any products associated with thebroadcast web site address that were also broadcast, any servicesassociated with the identified web site address that were alsobroadcast, and the name of the disc jockey or any celebrity orpersonality involved when the web site address was broadcast.

Similarly, for a web site address broadcast on television, theidentifiers to be solicited preferably include the location or citywhere the listener was located, the subject matter that caught theinterest of the listener, the time of day the web site address wasbroadcast, the date on which the web site address was broadcast, theidentifying call-letters for the television station on which the website address was broadcast, the identifying channel number for thestation on which the web site address was broadcast, any productsassociated with the identified web site address that were alsobroadcast, any services associated with the identified web site addressthat were also broadcast, the name of the television show, and anycelebrities or personalities involved when the web site address wasbroadcast.

For airline video and audio broadcasts, the identifiers to be solicitedpreferably include the video/audio name, the subject matter that caughtthe interest of the listener, the departure time of the flight on whicha web site address was broadcast, the name of the departure city andstate for the flight on which the web site address was broadcast, thearrival time of the flight on which the web site address was broadcast,the name of the arrival city and state for the flight on which the website address was broadcast, the date of the flight on which the web siteaddress was broadcast, the name of the airline of the flight on whichthe web site address was broadcast, the flight number of the flight onwhich the web site address was broadcast, any products associated withthe identified web site address that were also broadcast, any servicesassociated with the identified web site address that were alsobroadcast, and any celebrities or personalities associated with theidentified web site address.

For a web site advertised on a billboard, the identifiers to besolicited preferably include the subject matter that caught the interestof the listener, the location of the billboard on which the web siteaddress was advertised (e.g., the name of the city and street where thebillboard was located and the name of the nearest cross street, or thename of the highway off of which the billboard was located and the nameof the nearest highway exit etc.), any products associated with theadvertised web site address that were also advertised, and any servicesassociated with the advertised web site address that were alsoadvertised on the billboard.

For a web site address identified in a printed publication, theidentifiers to be solicited preferably include the name of the citywhere the publication was obtained, the name of the printed publicationin which the web site address was identified, the issue date or numberof the publication in which the web site address was identified, thevolume number of the publication in which the web site address wasidentified, the title of the section of the publication in which the website address was identified, the page number of the publication in whichthe web site address was identified, the title of an article in thepublication in which the web site address was identified, any productsassociated with the identified web site address that were alsoidentified, and any services associated with the identified web siteaddress that were also identified in the publication.

Preferably, the compilation of the database is a do-it-yourself process.That is, each and every information provider is preferably given accessto a portion of the database for uploading the information solicitedand/or any other information the information provider deems relevant,such as information on a product or service, or information about theweb site or its owner. The information uploading or collection ispreferably processed in an organized manner (i.e., identical for eachinformation provider) such that all information can be retrieved quicklyand accurately. In other words, the database is preferably passwordprotected, and each and every information provider is given a passwordto essentially create a protected sub-database within the databaseaccessible only by inputting the corresponding password. Preferably, thecontent of the sub-database can be updated or edited electronically byusing the same password. For example, a radio station may use a passwordgiven to the station to create a sub-database containing all of the website addresses featured or advertised on the radio for a given week. Thesub-database may also include hyperlinks to the advertised or featuredweb sites. The radio station may decide to update the content of thesub-database daily or weekly by adding new web site addresses. The radiostation may choose to keep any input web site addresses in thesub-database for a longer period of time, say a year, and createdifferent lists of web site addresses for different weeks, all includedin the sub-database. Therefore, the compilation of the database iscontinuous and may be real-time.

Still referring to FIG. 1, as block 40 shows, a user can search thedatabase for a web site address identified via a media channel byinputting at least one identifier in the search query. Preferably,different identifier questionnaires or categories are provided on thequery page to help a user conduct a directed or guided search. Anexample of such a directed search is illustrated in FIG. 2, which willbe discussed in detail below. Referring again to FIG. 1, after at leastone identifier is input and the search command is executed, the databasechecks its content for the identifier input, as shown at decision block50. If the input matches an identifier stored in the database, thedatabase provides the user a search result containing the web siteaddress associated with the identifier, as block 60 illustrates.Occasionally, an identifier may be associated with more than one website address. In that case, every web site that is associated with theidentifier would be provided in the search result, and, preferably, theuser would be asked to fine-tune his or her search by inputting at leastone more identifier.

For example, suppose the web site bn.com was advertised on the radiostation KBIG, FM 101.3, at 7:00 PM on May 5, 2000 in the San FranciscoBay Area, and the advertisement was about the various books one canpurchase online at bn.com. Suppose a user cannot recall the web siteaddress “www.bn.com.” The user may search in the radio section of thedatabase for the web site address, as shown in FIG. 2, which illustratesa preferred format for a search query comprising a plurality of guidingquestionnaires and a search execution button 80. Preferably, the userbegins his or her search by typing in at least one identifier or answerto a questionnaire. In the instant example, the user may type in “SanFrancisco” in line 1 after the search field “City in which you werelocated”; “19:00” or “7:00 PM” in line 4 after the search field “Time ofDay the web site address was broadcast”; “May 5, 2000” in line 5, afterthe search field “Date on which the web site address was broadcast”;“KBIG” in line 6, after the search field “Call-letters of the radiostation”; “FM” in line 7, after the search field “AM or FM”; and “101.3”in line 8, after the search field “Frequency of the radio station”.After the search command is executed by electronically pressing thesearch button 80, the database checks its content for the fiveidentifiers entered. Because the identifiers match those stored in thedatabase for bn.com, the address “www.bn.com” and other relevantinformation will be provided in the search result. A hyperlink to bn.comis preferably provided, and the user may click on the hyperlink to reachthe bn.com web site.

Now, suppose the web site etoys.com was also advertised on the sameradio station in the same commercial time slot, on the same date, andthe advertisement was about the web site's toy selection. The aboveidentifiers entered would have retrieved both “www.bn.com” and“www.etoys.com” because all of the five identifiers entered above areassociated with each one of these two web sites. Because there are onlytwo items in the search result, the user may simply scroll up and downthe search result page and choose the correct web site, www.bn.com.However, if numerous items were retrieved, the user may wish tofine-tune his or her search request. The user has the option to go backto the query page and provide more information to fine-tune the searchparameter. In the instant example, the user may type in a sixthidentifier, “books”, in line 3, after the search field “Subject matterwhich caught your interest” or in line 10, after the search field “Nameof a product or type of products associated with the web site address.”Because only the bn.com advertisement was about books, the only web siteaddress included in the search result would be www.bn.com.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the databasecomprises a search query page for each media channel. FIG. 2 illustratessuch a search query page for radio broadcasts. In another preferredembodiment, the database comprises one query page for all of the mediachannels, and the search fields comprise all of the identifiercategories. In yet another preferred embodiment, the database comprisesa plurality of query pages, one query page for a number of similar mediachannels. For example, the database may include one query page fortelevision and radio broadcasts, and another for billboards and printedpublications.

Preferably, the database uses Cold Fusion or a similar search enginesoftware to execute searches. Preferably, the database is stored on aweb site accessible via the Internet. Three preferable web siteaddresses for the database are www.eAdLocator.com,www.WhereDidIHearThat.com and www.WhereDidISeeThat.com. As the web sitenames suggest, a user may access these web sites to search for a website address the user “heard” or “saw,” but could not remember the website address. Preferably, therefore, a user would searchwww.WhereDidIHearThat.com for a web site address identified via radio,TV audio broadcast, and the like; and the user would searchwww.WhereDidISeeThat.com for a web site address identified on abillboard, TV, airline video broadcast, in a printed publication, orsimilar media channels.

Although the invention herein has been described with reference toparticular embodiments, it is to be understood that the embodiments aremerely illustrative of the principles and application of the presentinvention. It is therefore to be understood that various modificationsmay be made to the above mentioned embodiments and that otherarrangements may be devised without departing from the spirit and scopeof the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

1. A method of providing directed search for a web site addressadvertised on an outdoor billboard, the method comprising: creating adatabase containing web site identifiers input by an advertiserassociated with the advertisement of the web site address on the outdoorbillboard; inputting at least two of the web site identifiers by a userto search the database; and providing to the user a search responseincluding one or more advertised web site addresses that correspond tothe input at least two of the web site identifiers, wherein the input atleast two web site identifiers include at least two members of the groupconsisting of: an estimated location where the user saw theadvertisement of the web site address on the outdoor billboard; a timeof day or date or dates when the user saw the advertisement of the website address on the outdoor billboard; and a product or serviceassociated with the web site address advertised on the outdoorbillboard.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the search response furtherincludes information related to one or more web sites associated withthe one or more advertised web site addresses.
 3. The method of claim 1,wherein the group further consists of: a subject matter of interestassociated with the web site address advertised on the outdoorbillboard; and the name of a host, celebrity or personality associatedwith the advertisement of the web site address on the outdoor billboard.4. The method of claim 1, wherein the estimated location where the usersaw the advertisement of the web site address on the outdoor billboardis defined by one or more members of the group consisting of: the nameof a highway; the name of a highway exit; the name of a street; the nameof a building; and the name of a place of interest.
 5. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the database is password protected.
 6. A method forcreating and searching a database of web site addresses advertised on anoutdoor billboard, comprising: providing each of a plurality ofinformation providers access to a secured portion of the database;providing each information provider one or more identifier categories;allowing each information provider to store in the secured portion ofthe database one or more web site identifiers associated with a web siteaddress advertised on the outdoor billboard, each web site identifiercorresponding to an identifier category; and creating a search querywith the one or more identifier categories, wherein a user searches thedatabase by inputting at least two web site identifiers in the createdsearch query, and providing a search result to the user including atleast one web site associated with the input at least two web siteidentifiers, wherein the input at least two web site identifiers includeat least two members of the group consisting of: an estimated locationwhere the user saw the advertisement of the web site address on theoutdoor billboard; a time of day or date or dates when the user saw theadvertisement of the web site address on the outdoor billboard; and aproduct or service associated with the web site address advertised onthe outdoor billboard.
 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the securedportion of the database is protected by password.
 8. The method of claim6, further comprising allowing each information provider to store in thesecured portion of the database non-identifier information relating tothe web site.
 9. The method of claim 6, wherein the group furtherconsists of: a subject matter of interest associated with the web siteaddress advertised on the billboard; and the name of a host, celebrityor personality associated with the advertisement the web site address onthe outdoor billboard.